Revisiting Length of Stay in Stroke Rehabilitation in Turkey

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 92; no. 2; pp. 257 - 264
• Main Authors: Ozyemisci-Taskiran, Ozden, MD, Gunendi, Zafer, MD, Aknar, Ozlem, MD, Karatas, Gulcin K., MD, Sepici, Vesile, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; Hospitals, University; Humans; Infection length of stay; Inpatients - statistics & numerical data; Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data; Linear Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Neurology; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Recovery of Function; Rehabilitation; Retrospective Studies; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Turkey; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Asia; Turkey; Infection length of stay; Stroke; Brunnstrom's motor recovery stages; HAD; Hospital Anxiety and Depression; FACS; LOS; BMRS; MMSE; OAI; length of stay; Rehabilitation; functional ambulation classification scale; onset admission interval; Mini-Mental State Examination; Vascular disease; Infection; Nervous system diseases; Reeducation; Orthopedics; Central nervous system disease; Cardiovascular disease; Cerebrovascular disease; Cerebral disorder
• ISSN: 0003-9993; 1532-821X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2010.08.017

Abstract Ozyemisci-Taskiran O, Gunendi Z, Aknar O, Karatas GK, Sepici V. Revisiting length of stay in stroke rehabilitation in Turkey. Objective To investigate the parameters influencing length of stay (LOS) in stroke rehabilitation in Turkey. Design Retrospective study. Setting Rehabilitation ward in a university hospital, a referral center in the capital of Turkey. Participants Consecutive inpatient stroke survivors (N=142) after ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebrovascular events rehabilitated in a university rehabilitation center between January 2005 and October 2009. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure The primary study outcome measurement is LOS on the rehabilitation ward. Results LOS was best predicted by Brunnstrom's motor recovery stages (BMRS) lower extremity on admission, BMRS hand on admission, and the presence of infections (LOS in days = 70.6 – 5 × BMRS lower extremity – 3.2 × BMRS hand + 10.3 × presence of infections [infection; present=2, absent=1]; R2 =.37). Conclusions Motor impairments and infections were the parameters that most affected LOS in stroke rehabilitation. Prevention strategies for infections should be pursued more aggressively. The prevention of infections, which is an essential component of a patient's general well-being, also shortened LOS in stroke rehabilitation. High medical costs urge LOS to shorten in the developing countries hereafter. A national rehabilitation policy should be implemented to reach the same functional outcome with shorter LOS in stroke patients.